Thieves of Vaccines

There is only one sin, only one. And that is theft. Every other sin is a variation of theft. When you kill a man, you steal a life. When you tell a lie, you steal someone's right to the truth. When you cheat, you steal the right to fairness.

                                                                           

                         - Khaled Hosseini, The Kite Runner

The above lines never felt so relevant than during these tough times, when the whole world is suffering from an unseen enemy and countries like India is on fire by the deaths and mismanagement of resources. But what the rich and so-called developed western powers are doing in this time when poor and impoverished African and Asian countries need the power of their wealth and resources.

The selfish behavior of Rich and capitalists countries is making the pandemic last longer because no one is safe until everyone is safe. When countries like India are dreaming to vaccinate 70-80% of their population, these countries possess the capacity to vaccinate multiple times.

Everyone is making a ruckus about the production and availability of vaccines around the world, but the problem doesn't lie there. So where does the problem lie?

There are some blunders and mismanagement that had been created by these developed powers since the development of the vaccine of COVID-19 at the global level. In the next 4-5 minutes of reading, I will tell you about some of them.

TRIPS Agreement

Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights(TRIPS) is a standard agreement that allows members of World Trade Organization(WTO) countries to protect the Intellectual Property(IP) of nations. TRIPS is a nice agreement which is in effect since 1st January 1995 and protecting the hard work of people and the economies as well. BUT, time and situation have changed, people across religion, race, creed, boundaries, and nationalities need vaccines.

Developing countries like India, South Africa, Brazil have asked for the waiver in rights on intellectual property for the rapid production of vaccines across the world(especially India which is the vaccine factory of the world). Meanwhile, countries like the USA, EU, and Japan are leaving no stones unturned in blocking these paths of human welfare.

Should rights on IP be kept above saving people's lives? 

Should profits take place at the cost of millions of lives?

An economist and businessman will always say YES to the above questions, but only a human will say NO.

Hoarding 

Kenya, Sudan, Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania, Morocco, Senegal, Libya, Namibia, Niger, Botswana. These are the names of some poorest and impoverished countries of African continents. We don't even know the names of many of these countries. 

When a citizen sitting in countries like Canada, UK, USA, New Zealand, Australia has the option to choose vaccines like candy's in the market, these poor African countries are waiting for vaccines without having an interest in knowing their efficacies and effectiveness. Many countries are yet to receive a single dose from the COVAX scheme.

The reason for all these catastrophes is hoarding, which is violating the basic conscience.

Some facts about hoarding

• 300 million doses have been hoard by the USA, 90 million by the UK. All these doses are surplus.

• 52% of vaccines are occupied for 16% of the world population by leading nations.

• Canada and Australia made multiple bilateral deals with multiple organizations.

• South Africa is paying 2x the price of vaccines in comparison to the European Union.

• In Jan 2021, the USA had booked 96% of Pfizer vaccines and 100% of vaccines by Moderna that they will produce till Dec 2021. 

• As of January 2021, only 25 vaccines had been administered in the sub-Saharan region of Africa. Only 25.

• The USA and UK have exported 0% of their production while India has shared 42% of its production till March 2021.

• By March 2021, no. of times countries can vaccinate their population:-

            

             CANADA  -  9 TIMES                                           

             USA & JAPAN  -  2 TIMES

             EU  -  3 TIMES

             AUSTRALIA   -  5 TIMES

             NEW ZEALAND  -  3 TIMES

             UK  -  4 TIMES

             BRAZIL  -  1 TIME

             LATIN AMERICA  -  NEARLY 0 

             COVAX(which will provide vaccines to poor AFRICAN Countries)  -  NEARLY 0

             INDIA  -  Can't provide vaccine to each and every one

Real Problem

87% of the total vaccines are getting administered in rich countries. 1 out of 4 people has got their jabs in rich countries while 1 out 500 got jabbed in lower-income countries. This gap has the essence of the colonial era. How powerful and rich have suppressed the poor and impoverished with their wealth.

The problem becomes bigger and gets a boost when Rich philanthropists like Bill Gates are against the vaccine patent waiver. What sort of philanthropy is this? 

Historically, be it the era of slavery in the western world or proxy wars for political gains in the region or be it dividing people and societies or invoking the regions in wars, USA and Western powers have always been at the front and poor and weak African-Asian had always been the first choice.

If these conditions of vaccine hoarding will stay, then the world will take around 5-6 years to overcome this situation. Also, no one is safe until everyone is safe. Epidemiologists have suggested that the virus will mutate itself over time and current vaccines may get unaffected if the virus will stay in the majority of the population. The hoarded vaccines will have no effect if a mutated and more virulent virus would travel to the Canada or UK. 2021 should be the year of recovery for the whole world, but it is looking worst than the previous one. All this is happening due to the profits and gains of some western companies.

The real problem doesn't lie in the production or availability, the problem lies in the morality and humanity of these developed worlds. The problem is associated with the so-called guardian of human rights. If this is not a human rights violation, then, what should be referred to?

I am not against any capitalist society or economy, in fact, it's a good form of economics, but there is a minute difference between capitalism and crony capitalism. No one is asking about the formula of space or nuclear technology from any of these powerful nations, they are not asking for defense technology either. Saving lives should be the priority.